Teesta Setalvad gets bail in FCRA case

Mumbai: A special CBI magistrate court on Friday granted bail to social activist Teesta Setalvad and her husband Javed Anand in case of alleged violations of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) registered against them. The court also handed them over the copy of chargesheet filed against them by the CBI in connection with the case. The CBI has alleged that Sabrang Communications and Publishing Pvt Ltd run by the two allegedly utilised funds received from the Ford Foundation in violation of foreign funding rules.

The CBI in its chargesheet has claimed that co-accused Sushma Raman who was the then programme officer of the Ford Foundation allegedly connived with director of Sabrang Communication and Publishing Pvt Limited (SCPPL) for granting around 2.9 lakh dollars in foreign donations in violation of FCRA.

According to CBI, the company is engaged in publication and hence is not authorised to receive foreign contribution without prior permission from the MHA. The FCR Act states that no person having a definite cultural, economic, educational, religious or social programme shall accept foreign contribution without prior permission of the MHA. It is further alleged in the chargehseet that Aanand and Setalvad did not maintain exclusive bank account for receipt of foreign contribution. The Sabrang has mixed foreign contribution with their domestic contribution.

The chargesheet also claims that as per project modules submitted to foreign donor it is mentioned that Sabrang would lobby with government in public sphere to deepen and broaden the concept of minorities. Lobbying with political parties is not allowed as per the provision of FCRA.

“This is a false case and relates to a consultancy with Ford Foundation and Sabrang Communications & Publishing Pvt Ltd,” said Ms Setalvad adding, “Today was the routine conversion of the ABA to a judicial bail. This is however a long string of persecutions against us (Gujarat Police’s false FIR, MHA inspection, cancellation of FCRA etc and the eighth false criminal case against me.” She said, “This is a compoundable offence. At worst it is a civil one. The brazen attempt by the regime to criminalise it and to actually chargesheet Anand and me bespeaks a desperation and vindictiveness that is unprecedented.”